In all the fuss over the successful debuts of new arrivals Daigo Kobayashi, Nigel Reo-Coker and Brad Rusin and the speed and promise of 2013 first-round draft picks Kekuta Manneh and Erik Hurtado, the status of the Caps’ first-ever pick, and the first overall selection in 2011, had taken on the intrigue of one of those Where’s Waldo books.

Never mind trying to locate him on the subs bench. Could anybody find him among the 25-30 guys at practice?

From the start of training camp, when he was running or working on the side with trainers and physios, if his name did come up, it was always with a series of questions.

Is he ever going to be fit? Is he going to be traded? Is he a loan candidate?

The answers, it turns out, are yes, no and no.

“I think I’m pretty much 100 per cent,” the 19-year-old Texan from El Paso proclaimed Wednesday, before hesitantly adding, “other than playing on this (artificial turf) surface.”

Salgado, who got just five starts in his rookie Major League Soccer season, hasn’t played meaningful minutes for the Caps since last May. He broke his foot twice last season, the first time in Uruguay while playing for the United States’ under-20 side in early June, then caught wind in January of rumours that he was headed to Chivas USA in a trade, or later that he might be loaned out because of Vancouver’s glut of wingers.

“It’s been 8½ months, been a long time,” said Salgado, who is expected to play with the reserves in one or two of three matches the Caps have scheduled against university teams over the next six days.

“It’s been really frustrating, but I’m glad that I’m back and feeling a lot better than last time. Hopefully, I can get some minutes on Saturday (against the University of Victoria Vikings) and look forward to Houston (on March 23 when Vancouver resumes MLS action).”

The 6-4 Salgado had shown some promise as a left-side attacking player in five games during April and May of last season before fracturing his right foot. He made his return in Portland on Oct. 21, playing the final 13 minutes as a substitute, then reinjured the foot a couple of days later during a reserve game at Burnaby’s Swangard Stadium.

“I stepped up wrong, felt a crack, got an X-ray and it was re-broken. It was a stress fracture and it wasn’t as bad, but it got worse and I had to be on the (walking) boot again. It turned into 3½, four months after that.”

His off-season training program was delayed and then he had to deal with other related issues — Achilles soreness and hamstring pulls — as he tried to work his way back to full fitness.

“I think he’s handled it quite well,” said head coach Martin Rennie. “It’s very difficult being hurt. I think sometimes when it’s an injury that maybe you think the time is shorter than it ends up being, that’s almost more difficult.”

Salgado, who will join the U.S. team at the U-20 World Cup in Turkey in June, admits he might have tried to come back too soon the first time.

“Practising here the last week, I felt really good,” he said, noting that he’s lost little of his touch on the ball. “I think I’m pretty close to where I’m at when I did have that month stretch (of good play last spring).

“I feel a lot better and I’m really excited about it. Hopefully, I can get in a couple of minutes against Houston. This is one of the best teams in MLS. You can see that we have a lot of talent and the players are playing well together.”

It won’t be an easy fit. Rennie has plenty of attacking options out wide on the left, including veteran Kenny Miller, Camilo Sanvezzo, the Caps’ leading point-getter last season, and prized 18-year-old rookie Kekuta Manneh. Another rookie, Erik Hurtado, who has played on the right side as a second-half substitute in the Caps’ first two games, both wins, is also pushing for time.

The one thing Salgado has going for himself is his height. He’s a good five or six inches taller than any of those other players. And while he doesn’t have the outright speed of a Manneh or Hurtado, he’s got decent pace.

Rennie called Salgado “a very hungry player. He’s got that aggressive side to him and if it’s handled properly, that’s a huge asset.”

CORNER KICKS: The Whitecaps scrimmage against the UBC Thunderbirds Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at Thunderbird Stadium, travel to Victoria for Saturday’s game against the Vikings, then play the SFU Clan next Tuesday at Thunderbird Stadium at 7 p.m.

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